The MCC World Cricket committee, an independent panel that can propose changes to the sport's Laws, said it was concerned at declining over rates. However, the World Cricket committee said it was "reassured that the new competition would still be a recognisable form of cricket" and commended ECB for its desire to seek new audiences.

The panel also discussed protection for bowlers, stating incidents such as Nottinghamshire bowler Luke Fletcher being struck in the head by a ball in last year's T20 Blast gave "serious cause for concern. Its world cricket committee - established in - is currently chaired by former England captain Mike Gatting and includes former internationals Brendon McCullum and Kumar Sangakkara and New Zealand women's captain Suzie Bates.

Ponting said the panel of former and current players and umpires also discussed different penalties for slow over rates, adding that there was a sense that the current system of fining teams had not necessarily worked, nor been used regularly.

The panel suggested measuring the "dead time" in the game between overs. He suggested that a more immediate run penalty administered during the match could be an option.

In May, ECB chairman Colin Graves told BBC Sport the new competition was being proposed because young people are "just not attracted to cricket", though there has been criticism of the format and no final decision on how it will work.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is one of 14 members of the MCC World Cricket committee Cricket could introduce a "shot clock" to improve the pace of play, says a group of leading figures in the sport.

He added the shot clock would not be used to enforce "a certain amount of time for an over to be bowled" because that could be affected by other factors. If, through the course of a game or a day, they're not in position for three or four overs then that could be 20 runs.

Ponting, 43, praised Cricket Australia for banning ex-captain Steve Smith and former vice-captain David Warner for a year, with batsman Cameron Bancroft suspended for nine months.

Read more about sharing. Test over rates are at their lowest for 11 years and Twenty20 over rates have fallen to their lowest ever level.